Gisele Bundchen Gained "30 Pounds" During Pregnancy, "Felt Like E.T."
Credit: Courtesy of Vogue
In April's Vogue, Gisele Bundchen opens up about giving birth to baby Benjamin.
Benjamin -- her son with husband Tom Brady -- was born at their Boston penthouse last December, in warm water in a deep bathtub that overlooks the Charles River.
"I wanted to experience the transformation," Bundchen, 29, explains, squashing rumors that she gave birth at a Boston-area hospital.
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A friend from Brazil served as a mid-wife, and both her mother and Brady, 31, were present.
Through the birth, she says she meditated.
"It was the most amazing experience of my life, feeling him come through my body," she says. "And once he was born, I never felt so empowered as looking at him and thinking, Oh, my God, we did it together!"
Initially, she says she and Brady bickered over the baby's name.
"I wanted him to be called River because I wanted something always flowing, immortal," she says. "My husband said, 'There's no way we're going to call him River.' But my father's name is Reinoldo, so it's a homage to him. And it's like water."
During her pregnancy, she says she "gained only 30 pounds."
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She says it wasn't hard to get her pre-baby body back, especially since she exercised regularly right up until she gave birth. "I did kung fu up until two weeks before Benjamin was born, and yoga three days a week," she says.
Bundchen also says she was "mindful" about what she ate.
Says the model: "I think a lot of people get pregnant and decide they can turn into garbage disposals."
While expecting, Bundchen says she purposely stayed out of the public eye. "I felt like my pregnancy was a sacred moment for me ... I didn't work apart from the contracts I have, and then I only let them use my face."
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When she recently posed for one of her advertising clients, "I got to the studio and I felt like I was E.T. — whoa, what's going on? Hair and makeup? I hadn't looked at myself in a mirror for a month-and-a-half," she says. "I'd been in my house, in a cocoon with my kids, my husband, my dogs. Usually, as I walk through the door into that atmosphere, I already feel different. There's a button that goes On and I'm On. And when I go On, there is almost no me; there is just a character who is doing all this. This time it wasn't like that. I've been really inside with my husband and my baby, and everything is changed. But the client still deserves respect and professionalism, and I got a little bit concerned because I wasn't feeling it. Makeup was done, hair was done, and I looked in the mirror and I still wasn't seeing the person who's a model."
Says Bundchen, "For the first time, I think I actually saw me -- the inside -- instead of the persona."
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154i dont like her statement -"I think a lot of people get pregnant and decide they can turn into garbage disposals." she can choose more polite words.
I wasn't saying it like that at all but women that have experienced a loss tend not to complain openly about the weight they gain when they have a healthy child and are seemingly more protective of their children some of my favorite stars have openly said the same thing when their kids were grown like Sophia Loren for instance Gisele should be thankful she had a smooth pregnancy and easy birth
Courtney, how is that even relevant to what she's saying? It sounds like you're saying someone that has not experienced a loss cannot appreciate the blessing of a healthy child, and that's preposterous! All the hate here is repulsive! "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I wish Gisele and her family all the best.
typical hollywood wannabe why doesn't she ask somebody thats had a loss before successful childbirth what a mircle it is people like her should shut up yes having a child is a miracle but even more so after having lost one or multiple child/children in utero
Geez I hate joanna, she goes to my scool. Oh and BTW americans are not fat asses. what a biotch... Anyway, some poeple never even said bad stuff about gisele. im not saying shes a bad model a lot of people say shes pretty. so dont start a whole argument
you guys are such losers. Gisele is the number 1 paid supermodel in the whole entire world and has been for the last 10 years. she has worked for every designer in the world and has been in more than 10,0000 mag covers. if she was ugly or looked like a man than she wouldnt be a model. she has the most amazing body ever. Marc Jacobs called her "the body". and if u think she looks like a man you have to get ur eyes checked. back in the early 2000's she was the hottest and still is the hottest. and its good she only gained 30 lbs she is a freekin model! you guys are just jelious u cant be as skinny as her. get a life losers. americans will always be fat asses.
I don't care what anyone says, I would trade places with her any day ! The world treats women like Gisele better than the average woman...let's face it she isn't the first supermodel to be hated and she will not be the last...when you are rich and thin the world is your oyster ! It is shallow but that's just the way it is, Gisele can afford to be whom ever she wants to be and say what ever she wants and the world will still give her the attention whether it's negative or positive.
Sounds like an average amount for the Average Woman!
hey GISELE=UGLY AS SIN let us see your face I bet you are all that and yeah you are one to judge when you go and attack people on their physicl apperance.
think it's great she includes her husband's first child as one of her own. Those of you criticizing have such a narrow mind. Haven't any of you with stepparents know what it feels like to know that they don't think of you as part of the family??? GROW UP!! ____________________ Yeah I at least had a step mom who acknowledged I had a great mother and didn't say things that made it appear she was my mom when I already had a wonderful one.
I don't think Gisele is particularly attractive either. Although most models are known for their 'unusual' or 'quirky' looks anyway. Something that commands people's attention. Her interview made me gag. She comes off as totally self-righteous and arrogant! Let her think highly of herself for now...in a few years, she won't be anything anyway.
I think it's great she includes her husband's first child as one of her own. Those of you criticizing have such a narrow mind. Haven't any of you with stepparents know what it feels like to know that they don't think of you as part of the family??? GROW UP!!
I gave birth and I did alot of breath exercises and I had no pain I believe her. People need to realize that she does yoga and kung-fu which helps muscles strech and makes childbirth easier. Not all women have he same experience during child birth.I don't see her as full of herself in contrary she is trying to tell women that if you want you can look better. What is your problem people.
REAL TALK wow you must know her personally since you gave her a psychological review. Give me a break! I am a women and I am not isulted by her comments I appreciate her honesty cuz it is trueeeee
YUCK!
Aw, I think Gisele is a beautiful model. She may be fake, but who in Hollywood isn't? They pay people like publicists and stylists to become what we consumers want them to be. But really, I had 3 kids in a matter of 6 years and never gained more than 25 lbs. cause I ate smart (6 small meals a day including my once-in-a-while 9 a.m. milkshake craving) and walked almost every day...that's what the doctors suggest 'cause the healthier the mommy, the easier the birth and weight loss afterward will be. And quite honestly, if you hate these people then why are they so popular? I didn't even know this chick's name until she dated Leonardo then she dropped off radar again until Tom. Who cares?!?
I dont think this woman even knows who she is. She created a character for her job and she was super successful so why not create another character to play in interviews and try to pawn it off as her real life. You know create a woman who comes off as the epitome of the perfect person who is even invincible to things like labor pains and who can drop 30 pounds in 5 weeks without execrcise. This perfect person she created eat perfectly during her pregnancy compared to all other women and this perfect person some how can gain a child who has a real mother and then nestle everything her world in a perfect Beacon Hill mansion. Nice try Gi you are nothing but fake. People are on to you.
Gisele is NO super woman.....Other woman have done much more in their lifes and they don't brag about it like she does...She needs to stop judging people,zip her potty mouth and be a mother....point
I have never read one interview with Gisele where she exhibited an ounce of modesty. She always comes off as haughty and arrogant, almost hostile about others compared to herself. It's like, "See my perfect life". She's really not that attractive and her breast are fake. Very ironic for being one of the world's top supermodels. She has been successful marketing herself but really that is it. Oh well, I guess some people believe their own press.
In the whole bridget vs gisele thing i was always on team gisele. but i gotta say... in every interview, gisele is coming off as more and more arrogant. She couldn't gain a lot of weight or her career would be over. And this stuff she has been saying about childbirth not being painful and all that... it's garbage. Been there, done that. It HURTS!! She's not making any friends with her silly comments. She'd be better off just staying quiet and doing what she's paid to do. Look gorgeous, and nothing else. Because she just keeps saying stupid things!